Southern Tomb 25, Rock-cut tomb in Amarna, Egypt
Southern Tomb 25 is a rock-cut tomb in Amarna featuring a main hall with pillars carved directly from limestone and several adjoining chambers. The walls display hieroglyphic inscriptions and carved reliefs that create a detailed record of the decoration and layout.
The tomb was originally planned for Ay during the 18th Dynasty but remained unfinished when he became pharaoh and chose burial in the Valley of the Kings instead. Its abandonment reflects the upheaval that occurred when royal burial practices shifted.
The walls hold the most complete version of the Great Hymn to the Aten, showing the religious shift that happened under Akhenaten. These inscriptions shape how we understand the Aten religion and what it meant to people living at that time.
Access requires advance planning and coordination with local authorities since the tomb sits within Amarna's protected archaeological zone. Visitors should gather information ahead of time and confirm conditions before traveling to the site.
Archaeologists found what may be the earliest known artistic representation of gloves in ancient Egyptian civilization within this tomb. This unexpected discovery raises questions about how clothing developed and what daily life was like then.
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